Finished Objects!

I have some finished objects to share with you today!

First, here is the finished Tree Jacket in all its glory...I LOVE this sweater!!Second, I just finished these about 20 minutes ago, and have successfully updated the SAM 5 KAL and Ravelry. These are the Nutkin pattern from knitzi.com. It is a great pattern, albeit a little on the tight side for me. I even had to go up to a size 3 needle to make them fit, but that's ok, since I am a super tight knitter anyway. They do fit, and are comfortable, just a little tricky to get over the heel and instep. I used Dream in Color Smooshy, In Vino Veritas is the color. LOVE this yarn!! I have already bought another hank of it for a future pair of socks. I really love the semi-solid nature of it, and it is super duper soft to knit with.

In other knitting news, I was invited to join a new KAL (and it did not take much convincing, either!). This is the Sock Knitters Pentathalon 2008. You can find this on Yahoo! Groups. It sounds really fun, and challenging. The idea is that we will knit 5 pairs of socks over the next year. Each sock will be allotted 2 months to complete. The sock patterns are supposed to be challenging, which I am both a little nervous and excited about. It could possibly push me to knit socks that I would normally think are too hard. And, sometimes the methods for knitting them are specific, so it could also force me into knitting on dpn's, which I don't really like, and I knit my socks on 2 circular needles. I have just learned the Magic Loop method as well, and think my next, simple pair of socks will be done this way. But I digress. The first pattern comes out tonight at midnight! I am really anxious to see what it is! I do think that I am going to have simpler patterned socks on the needles along with this, just in case I get a little overwhelmed or frustrated! My next pair is going to be plain simple stockinette out of some Regia yarn I have stashed in the Kaffe Fassett self striping colorway.

I have also started a new sweater using this pattern. I am using Patons Classic Merino Wool in a slightly off white color. I am also planning on doing this in a V-Neck. Here is a picture of my progress thus far... (sorry its a litte crappy in quality!)

So, I am back on a roll with knitting and it feels really good! Once I get the pattern for the SKP2008, I will post a picture of the yarn I am planning to use...it's amazing!!!

Loosen Up!!

Well, I am happy to report that the mojo has been found! It took a lot of prodding, and a lot of begging, and quite a bit of immersion therapy, but its back, and I am happy! Here's what finally got it out of its hiding place....

I FINALLY finished the Tree Jacket!!! I don't have a picture yet to post, so you will have to take my word for it. Basically, I sat myself down with the sweater, and we had a discussion. It went a little like this: Me: "I will finish you this weekend!!!" Sweater: "Yeah, OK, Whatever!" Me: "Yeah, whatever yourself...I will finish you this weekend!!!" Sweater: "OK, well let's get crackin' then!" And sure enough, it was finished, not this weekend, but Monday afternoon. 99% of the finishing was accomplished this weekend, and then the final stockinette cuff on the sleeve was done Monday, and it was promptly thrown into a cold basin of soapy water, rinsed and blocked! Its funny that once a project is finished, how quickly a new project emerges from the shadows.

I looked at my Ravelry queue, and nothing really jumped out at me. I REALLY want to do the Central Park Hoodie, but I feel as though I would be tempting the mojo back into hiding with this project. I have knit very few sweaters, and all two of them have been seamless. The CPH is not seamless, and I am not confident enough in my skills as a knitter to try and modify it as such. I think I may wait to knit this for next fall, so I may start on it in a couple of months...we will see. I really like the idea of knitting a seamless sweater. Right now I am torn between knitting a sweater from The Incredible Custom Fit Raglan Pattern or the Hour Glass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Haverson. Both are seamless raglan sweaters, but the idea of using the cusom pattern gives a little more freedom with pattern and style...do I want a crew neck, a V-neck, a turtle-neck, a cardigan??? The options are endless!! And I am comfortable with the construction of a raglan sweater as well. So, one of these will be showing up quite soon.

But, like I said, the mojo is still easily startled off, so we are taking things slow. I started a new pair of socks in Dream in Color Smooshy (LOVE IT!). The pattern is Nutkin from Knitzi.com. It is a great pattern, easy to memorize, and looks great with the yarn! I have learned something from this pattern though, and it will be a good lesson to take forward with me on future sock knitting expeditions. I am a super duper tight knitter! I had this problem with Monkey, which I started out knitting on US 2, and they wouldn't go over my instep, so I frogged. Same problem with the Nutkin pattern. I think it is anything other than ribbing, and stockinette that causes the problem. I knit a pair of socks for myself on US 2 1/2's and a pair of socks for my mom on US 2's, and they both fit great. But once you introduce some sort of intricate-type pattern, I must need to go up a needle size to US 3's. In some of my other projects I have noticed that I usually use one needle size larger than called for, sometimes 2, and sometimes am still half a stitch more that recommended gauge. I try to fool myself that I could just loosen up, but once I get in the groove, it's too hard to loosen up...so I will try the next size up. I ripped Nutkin out after almost 2 pattern repeats to the hemmed cuff, and will start up with the pattern in US 3's and see what happens. I intend to switch to US 2's for the heel, toe, and sole of the sock for extra wearability. We will see what happens! This is my February sock for SAM 5.

Overall, the last couple of weeks have been good for my knitting mojo, and I will keep you posted on my next project selection! Maybe a trip to the yarn shop will help me decide!

Have you seen it??

People, something very important to me is lost. I have looked and looked and looked for it, and cannot find it anywhere!!! This is such a special thing, and has been a meaningful part of my everyday life for quite a while now. I feel a little lost myself without it, and need to know where to find it again! So, what is this that I have lost, you ask? Well....It's my knitting mojo!

I don't know what happened. After Christmas, I was on such a knitting high! I started new projects immediately. I got 2 new knitting books for Christmas (Last Minute Knitted Gifts and One Skein by Leigh Radford). I marked about 20 project from these books that I wanted to start right now! Then something happened...and the drive, the desire, the passion was gone!!

So here I am...not really knitting...so nothing to blog about...and really no excitement when I look at my stash, when I look online, and especially when I look at my WIPs! I am so sad!! I think the thing that triggered this all has to do with the marathon Christmas knitting. I knit day in and day out, every chance I got to finish all my Christmas knitting. I was so excited to be done with things and had so many projects on my mind to start after Christmas. Then after Christmas got here, and I took that excitement and cast on immediately for a new pair of socks, for me, finally! I got all the way through the leg and was getting ready to start the heel. I tried them on, and they were WAY TOO SMALL!! I was sad, and pretty disgusted. They were frogged, and the yarn is now in the basement waiting to start again. But I can't....not yet....I am not over the betrayal of the yarn and needles for these socks. But I feel a reconciliation coming in the future. I am still working on Tree Jacket...sadly. I am just over halfway done with one sleeve and need to do the other. In all honesty, that's one Saturday afternoon, and boom, its done and ready to be blocked. What is my problem!?! I have done a couple of small projects, Calorimetry, and some mittens (which I have yet to even photograph and post to Ravelry!)...but that's all. I joined the SAM KAL5, which I am totally excited about, but after the aforementioned sock debacle, I am just past the toe of a pair of 2x2 ribbed toe up socks in Cascade Fixation...and I can't seem to get into.
(*On a side note, I think that I have decided that I don't really LIKE Cascade Fixation. I am a tight knitter, and the elastic in the yarn makes it hard to knit my normal tension, and it just doesn't do what wool does...but who knows...maybe I am just losing it!!)

So, as I sat pondering my loss, I decided to immerse myself in knitting. I looked through some books, some magazines, some patterns, and even returned to my computer to reintroduce myself to my much neglected Ravelry page (I KNOW, how crazy right? How can anyone neglect Ravelry...wierd). It seemed to help a little bit...but we will see. Today is about -5 degrees F, with a wind chill I don't even want to talk about. I had been thinking that I was going to be traveling today with some business related errands, but have scheduled things such that I won't have to now. Its a relief! I was up early for a consulting call, and have been pretty busy setting up appointments for tomorrow and Monday. But, now that it is approaching the afternoon, and my "story" is on (Days of Our Lives, in case you were interested!), I think that I am going to force myself to sit down and work on that Tree Jacket. I am giving up on the socks being done for January, and will look at abandoning them altogether for a new pattern for February. There's a pair of arm-warmers in LMKG that I would like to maybe give a go...but let's not overwhelm myself right now! Baby steps!

I think I can get through this, the first step to recovery is admiting you have a problem! Or something... :) Happy Knitting everyone, and keep that mojo on a short leash!!

Resolutions of a Bad Blogger

*Post is a little long and somewhat picture heavy...just a warning!*
Wow, I am ashamed at how long it has been since I have posted to the blog! Since my last entry was wishing a Happy Thanksgiving, I will take this opportunity to wish a belated Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday season, and Happy New Year to all!

The last 6-8 weeks has been pretty wierd around here. After moving home, I continued my Christmas knitting, and doing a lot of investigative work toward opening a small business. I am still on track with that, and now that the holidays are over, I will be trying to continue the plans in a much speedier way. I am anxious to get things together and get the doors open already!! The goal right now is around March-April 2008, obviously depending on everything going as planned. There is so much more to this than I ever really thought, and I am opening the office in a town 3 hours from my parents, which is where I am staying right now, so that tends to make it a little more difficult, but all in all much better than trying to do this from Chicago (8 hours away).

On to knitting news...I successfully completed all my knitting projects for Christmas. My family had Christmas early, on Sunday, as my sister and parents went out to Pasadena for the Rose Parade. My sister marches in the South Dakota State University Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band, and they were invited to the Rose Parade this year. My parents also took the opportunity to travel out there with the band and take in all the sights. I was so excited this morning to watch the parade, and my little sister even made a good 4-6 second shot right on camera! Thankfully she told me where she was in the band, so it made it easier to find her, but it was pretty cool all in all just to know that she was there marching while me and the rest of the country were watching at the same time!

So...back to Christmas knitting! I can tend to get a little side-tracked at times, especially when there is kind of a lot to tell! I made 4 gifts this year, for my immediate family only. First, I made my dad a pair of socks...red and grey like the old heavy hunting socks he used to wear. Surprisingly, they are a little big for him! I was scared that they would be a little small the whole time I knitted them. But, he liked them and thinks they make great house socks on cold winter afternoons. Yarn: Knit Picks Swish in Squirrel Heather and Fire Brick; knit 2 socks on 2 circular needles, size US 5. Plain stockinette with short row toe and heel, knit toe up.

Mom also got socks for Christmas. These were much easier for me to size out since we wear the same size shoe! She really likes them, and so did I!! I had a hard time parting with them and if I ever run across this colorway again, I will definitely make these again. My mom is always so amazed that I can actually "do all this"! Its pretty funny.
Yarn: elann.com Sock it to Me...unsure of the colorway; Knit toe up on 2 circs size US 2. Pattern is Garter Rib by Charlene Shurch from Sensational Knitted Socks.

My sister's present was probably my favorite, once it was all finished. I was a little concerned during the process of embroidery and lining, but once it was all done, I loved it. And so did she! As I said, my sister is a musician, and is majoring in music education. She is in her final year, and will be practice teaching next fall. When I saw this pattern, I knew immediately that I had to make it for her. It went over really well, and I am pleased at how happy she was with it! Yarn: Knit Picks WOA in Amethyst Heather, Coal, Cloud; Needle size US 8; Pattern from elann.com; Lining fabric from JoAnn Fabrics.

Finally, my last minute addition to Christmas knitting was for my sister's fiance. She got engaged at the end of October, and we are all so happy and excited to welcome a new member to our family! So, I figured I probably should knit something for him, and decided that a scarf would be the most appropriate, and fastest knit I could find for a guy. He really likes it, according to my sister...and he better!! Yarn: Knit Picks WOA Carbon Twist (I used every inch, and had roughly 6 inches left after all tails were weaved in!) Needle size US 9; Basic 3x3 ribbing.

So, all in all, Christmas gifts were a success, and none had to be brought back home to finish! On the receiving end of things, I had asked for several book and magazine subscriptions for Christmas, and ended up getting the two books I really really wanted. Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and One Skein. I am super excited about the patterns in the books, and have already picked out several to do immediately! I have yet to queue then on Ravelry, as my queue is already kind of long!

What am I working on right now...? Finally onto the sleeves of the Tree Jacket, a pair of mittens loosely based on a pattern from the Lion Brand website, and a sad excuse for Monkeys, which will be getting frogged in the next couple of days as they are too small! I need to go up a needle size since I tend to knit pretty tight...right now they are in timeout because I was so disgusted I didn't even feel like frogging! I have my fist Clapotis on the needles, and an afghan that I have been crocheting a day here and there for the last year, oh and also my Tiffany Mittens, but I don't know if this is their year to be finished, but we will see. I still really like the pattern and would like to complete them sometime.

So, my title says "Resolutions" of a bad blogger, so I should probably include some resolutions for the New Year. Normally, I don't like to do resolutions, because I feel that they tend to set one up for failure, or disappointment. However, I have some knitting resolutions as well as personal resolutions that I would like to share.

Knitting Resolutions:

1. Start and finish 10 pairs of socks - It will help that I joined SAM 5!
2. Start and finish 3 sweaters
3. Finish Clapotis by spring
4. Do one small one skein/one afternoon project per month - possibly Christmas gifts! :)

Personal Resolutions(Including but not limited to):

1. "Learning" to run - Let me explain...I HATE to run. I have hated it since gym class in middle school when we had to run the mile and our time determined the grade we got...I did, not so good. I personally think that running for fun is for crazy people. This is why I am NOT going to be running for fun, but rather for fitness. Running is a huge calorie burner, and it really increases one's level of fitness. I would eventually like to participate in some local 5Ks and maybe a half marathon one day. But we will see. I need to start training first to be able to run 1 mile without wanting to die!
2. Start my own business...well on my way!
3. I have some other, more private and personal resolutions as well...so these will go here!

I hope that you all have your own resolutions, both knitting, and personal...and I wish you all the best with them! Oh yeah, one more resolution from me...to keep up with the blogging! Happy New Year everyone!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I wanted to post quick to wish everyone a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all get some quality family time in along with some knitting...I certainly hope so! I will post more next week as I have made some progress on my Christmas sock presents. Have a great weekend, and don't eat too much!

Zip, Zero, Zilch

This is basically where my knitting has gone in the last week and a half....nowhere!! I have made very little progress on things. The most progress I have made was on my Tree Jacket. I finally figured out some problems that I was having on sizing and have moved on to the body of the sweater. I am pretty happy with that!

I just read on the Harlot's blog that there are only 42 days left for Xmas knitting!!! Not including today or Xmas Day....HOLY CRAP!!! I have so much to do yet, and nothing is getting done! So, all other non-Xmas related item have been placed in timeout, reluctantly. I have one and one half socks to finish for my mom, a heel turn and leg on 2 socks for my dad, the majority of a scarf for the new future in-law, my sister's fiance, and all the embroidery and lining of the bag for my sister. Now, I know that there are knitters out there thinking this could all be done in less than 2 weeks, but I am a distractable knitter. Right now being the perfect example...what am I doing on the computer, Ravelry, blog-stalking, blogging, checking my email for the 52nd time today?? I drive myself crazy sometimes!!

Well, hopefully I will have some FOs in the next week or two, so I will post when I have something postworthy to tell you all! Otherwise, if you happen to see me on Ravelry, send me a message to kick me in the butt and get knitting!!

Only a week and a half late!!

Wow...what a week and a half! Things have been super crazy. My last post was on my last day of work, the following week was a whirlwind of packing and moving. I am now, finally, back in Iowa...back with my parents...and back to the small town life. I love being here! I have a lot on my plate for the coming weeks as well, but I promise to make a much better effort at keeping up my blog! So, my most exciting thing since my last post, aside from the move, was seeing Laurie Perry aka Crazy Aunt Purl in Peoria!
She was great! Not only do I enjoy her humor, and her general take on life, I have come to love her inspiration and the way that she shares that inspiration with others. She read some pretty funny and moving exerpts from the book, and spoke very well in front of the crowd. All in all she was wonderful to listen to, and not a bit different from her blog.

Here she is reading to us!

She was such a sweetheart. Thankfully, I got in the signing line pretty early on, so I didn't have to wait too long for her to sign my book. She was just really nice, and apologetic for being sweaty! (I didn't even notice!!) I was really excited to be there, but when I was in line, all of the sudden, I got super nervous...when I finally got to the front of the line, my hands were shaking so bad that I thought I would drop my book, the camera, and everything else in my hands! I am normally a pretty nervous person when it comes to exciting things, but I was not expecting this!! I got a nice lady in the line behind me to take a picture of me with Laurie...

The one thing that struck me about her, was when I asked for a picture, she was obviously happy to do so, but she was also very...what's the word I'm looking for here.....physical?? What I mean is that I squatted down next to her, expecting to merely lean in and take the picture, but instead, she put her arm around me, and it felt like taking a picture with an old friend, or my sister. Very surprising, in a nice way! Then she apologized for being sweaty!! Again, didn't notice...was too excited!! The best part of the whole experience was when she complimented my handbag...it was my Sari Silk Handbag...that I made...that I designed...that is posted on this blog!!!! She liked it, and complimented it...twice! Now, if you read her blog, you will remember that her last post was about how she is overcoming the urge to people please....so the fact that I am SO EXCITED that she liked something that was mine, that I made....well, it just validates me as a knitter, a little, or maybe a lot! Silly, I know...but I just had the urge to say to someone, anyone, at that time...."She likes me, she really likes me!" However I didn't, lest anyone think I am crazy! But I did bask in my little moment with Crazy Aunt Purl....and took a picture of the signed book, cause in reality....I'm a big dork!!! Enjoy!

Melancholy

This is the way I feel today. Today was my last day at work. I have been so full of emotions the last 30 days of my employment. On one hand, I hate the fact that I was let go from my position, that I have had to say good-bye to many really great patients, and that I have had to say good-bye to the people that I work with. Life changes can kind of really suck! On the other hand, however, I am happy, and excited with the direction my life is going. This turn of events has led me to make some pretty big decisions, including starting my own business. This is really scary, really exciting, and I sometimes can't believe that I am actually doing it! I am one week away from my big move back home, and though I have been apprehensive about living with my parents again, I am getting really excited about it as well. My family has had quite a big year, with another big year ahead...its a great time to be closer to them! I got this email from a friend last night that basically summed up a lot of the feelings that I have had the last year. I have lost a long term relationship, lost a loved one, and lost a job. There are so many things I have to be unhappy about. This email, summed up, stated that we can wait to be happy once we meet "the one", once we get married, once we get the "right job", once we have kids, so on and so forth. But why should we wait to be happy? Today is the best time to be happy with our lives, the best time to be thankful for the things we have. There couldn't have been a better email sent at a better time. I have so much to be thankful for in my life, and so much to be happy about. I let myself have a little pity party this afternoon when I got home from work, cried a little, whined a little, and contemplated drowning my melancholy state in a bottle of whine...I mean wine. But I didn't. I decided that this is my time to be happy and excited about where my life is leading. Take the advice of the cheery little forwarded email, pick today to be happy about your life and what it has to offer...its a great time to be happy!!

Road Trip!!

I have recently taken to reading the blog by Crazy Aunt Purl. I find her incredibly hilarious, and find her posts to speak to me and my thoughts and inner monologues. When I found out she had a book available, I checked it out from my library, and really enjoyed it. There are some of the same stories from her blog in the book, but it didn't feel like I was just reading the same stuff over and over, because the book is more sentimental and touching than the blog, which is sarcastic, hilarious, and totally reflects the things that go through my head...daily!

I was so excited to see she was going on a book tour. Since I live just outside of Chicago, I thought for sure she would have a stop on her tour in Chicago. Sadly, she didn't. But she is stopping in Peoria to speak at a Women's Expo....AND I AM GOING!!

I have met very few people with any kind of celebrity in my life. And most of those are local celebrities, and professional celebrities...you know, the kind that only the people with the same career and profession as you would ever know of. So I am super excited to travel the nearly 3 hours to Peoria to listen to Laurie speak, walk around the Expo, register for fabulous prizes (that I probably won't win), and maybe get her to sign a copy of her book for me. If I am lucky (and courageous enough, and don't look to dorky doing it) I will try to get a picture with her and post here on my blog!! She invited everyone to bring their knitting, so I think I will....it will be one of my biggest KIP events ever!!!

So, think of me Saturday, as I make the road trip to Peoria, IL to see Crazy Aunt Purl in person!! I will be back with updates and all the scoop!!

2 posts in one day???

Then it MUST be BIG BIG NEWS!! I got my Ravelry Invite today!!! Super excited...but it's going to be a lot of work to get everything under control and organized on there...but it will happen!!

So if you are on Ravelry, my ID is JenLoves2Knit (just like the blog!) Look me up, send me a message! I look forward to seeing you there!!

Where did it go?

So, I puruse the Virtual Stitch n Bitch Forum daily. Until the last few days...it is in maintenance mode!! Where did you go my friendly forum? I feel as though I have lost touch with a group of long time friends, with no one to turn to for lovely pattern advice, finished objects, and the general day to day discussion of knitting. To Miss Debbie Stoller (who, if she read my blog, I would just die of excitement, but there's a chance!) please bring back the forum soon!! I miss it and everyone who posts on the forum.

Maybe Ravelry did this to our lovely forum! On that note, I checked my status today...

You signed up on September 11, 2007
You are #32304 on the list.
359 people are ahead of you in line.
14643 people are behind you in line.
65% of the list has been invited so far

ANY DAY NOW!! But, I promise not to abandon my first knitting forum! Hope to see you all back at SnB very soon!!

I'm a Bad Blogger :(

Sorry that I left the last post such a depressing one on the tragedy that was that week. For an update, things have ben looking good on the homefront. I am getting things taken care of and plans are made. I am definitely taking on this challege with open arms! I have less than one and a half weeks left at work, then one week to pack, then its moving day! My parents are coming to pack me up and move me back to the wide open spaces of rural Iowa!! I have lived in the Chicago area for the past year and a half. I have the tendency to adapt pretty well. So moving from a large city/metropolitan area to a rural town of 5500, where my parents live in the country, on a dirt road no less, will be quite a culture shock! I definitely have to get my road rage under control, and learn to drive the posted speed limit again! On the upside, while I am in the process of getting things together to start my own business, I will have a TON of extra free time to knit!!! Look out Christmas, HERE I COME!!!

So here are some things that I have been working on...
My co-worker's wife had a baby! So I followed the lead of some Virtual SnB'ers and made Saartje's Booties


I love the little teddy bear buttons. They were found at Hanock Fabrics. They chose not to find out what they were having, and thankfully, I had some green Paton's Grace on hand. Knit on US 3's.

I am knitting the Tree Jacket from Zephyr Style for the Sexy Knitters Club KAL. It is really a fun knit, and this picture is now not accurate, as I am half way through the garter stitch portion of the body


I am knitting this out of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Firecracker Heather. I was a little unsure about the color...thinking it might be a little *too* red...but I LOVE it!! I love red, and I have been told that red is a good color on me, so we shall see. I am hoping to finish it before or very soon after I move. My parents have a ton of trees and I would love to photograph it with all the fall foliage! HAHA Like how I plan out my modeling pictures in advance?? I am such a dork!

After I got the *wonderful* news of my future unemployment, I started to fear a yarn shortage for all the projects I wanted to take on, so I made an emergency order to Knit Picks. Maybe not the greatest idea since I will be financially impaired for a period of time. But, I know that I have a TON of sock yarn, so at least I will be set for knitting socks! But here is my haul...



I got the brown (actually their "Mocha Twist") for the Back to School U Vest from Fitted Knits, the gray and black is for a scarf for my sister's boyfriend. This will be knitted in simple 3x3 rib, keep it simple, and manly! :) To the right, that's my Tree Jacket...well, not so much yet, but well on its way! Finally, I got some sock yarn, cause I need so much more of it *insert sarcasm here*. Gloss and Essential Tweed. Not sure what this yarn is going to be when it grows up...but I have some options in my pattern binder.
For those of you with the Options needle set. I am finding it frustrating that I don't always know what size the needles are because they are not engraved with the size or anything. I never used to understand the needle sizer until I got this set. I always thought, "Well, all my needles have the size either on the end, or engraved somewhere on the shaft, so I will always know what size they are." But not so with the Options, especially if you have the tendency not to put things away in their "right" spot. So, I got the needle sizer. I kinda like it! Definitely makes figuring out my sock knitting needles a little easier!


So, off the subject of knitting for a moment...I *LOVE* Starbucks!! Random, I know. But let's remember the first paragraph where I am moving to rural Iowa...no Starbucks there, but I do know they have some pretty good local coffee shops! So, I had to find a solution to my problem quickly. The coffee is one thing, I have a cappuccino machine, so I know that I can probably buy Starbucks coffee somewhere in a grocery store. But their pastries are so good, and this time of year, my favorite flavor is out in full force....Pumpkin Spice!! I love anything and everything pumpkin! So Starbucks makes these pumpkin scones with really great, thick icing, and its really too hard to resist for breakfast. I have been getting one every morning for the past few weeks, since they put them in the bakery case. Love them!! Well, back to my lack of Starbucks in Farmland, USA...I had to find a suitable replacement. (PS I do really love my hometown, and think it will be a great place to unwind, refocus, collect my thoughts, and push forward in my goals...I am looking forward to being back there!)
After some searching, I did!! This recipe is AWESOME!!! If you like pumpkin, I highly recommend them. She gives a recipe for pumpkin butter, but I didn't make that. Instead, I made a simple vanilla frosting glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

milk - enough to make the frosting the thickness you wish (I made mine thin enough to drizzle over the scones rather than frost them) Here they are


They were delicious!! I plan on making them all the time and eating them everyday! Well, maybe not everyday...I have cut down on my daily scone intake after realizing just how many calories are in one, and that's a little scary!!

OK...I think that I have been a little verbose, but that's what I get for not posting in almost 2 weeks! Sorry, and that won't happen often. Take care everyone!!

Week From Hell...

This has been my life this week. You know, I have heard people say that stress can really screw with the body. I have seen stress screw with people's bodies...I am in healthcare, so it's a daily thing for me to see. I have not experienced this level of stress in quite sometime...probably since this last winter/spring with my grandfather's death and the break up of my relationship. So, this week, as I am trucking along, thinking everything in life is pretty good, I get hit *SMACK!* right in the face! And my body seems to be rebelling against me! Stress can mess ya up (but I won't give you the grim details :P )

I work in a multiple physician, of which I am one, multiple clinic healthcare facility, . The head physician, who owns everything, calls me into the office last Wednesday, and tells me the one thing that I am not prepared to hear. I am being let go. WHAT?!?!

So apparently, the clinic that I am working in is in some pretty dire financial straights. The cannot afford to keep 2 physicians on staff, so I am the one to go. I was/am devastated! I have quit all of my jobs, never been terminated by the employer, so this is a whole new game to me. I am usually prepared to be without a job if that is the case, but today it is not. I must say that I have all new respect for anyone who loses their job without any notice or without any clue. It truly turns a person's life upside down.

Now, there is a fine, barely visible silver lining to this cloud. I have recently hired on a consulting firm to help me take steps to open my own business. Fortunately for this, I have a long term plan in place, and a direction that I am starting to go in. My family and friends, though also shocked with the news, have all been hugely supportive, and feel that this change is a blessing in disguise, because now working on my business plan and everything associated with this will become my job, and I will make much faster progress. I agree. I am positive now, a week and a half after the bomb dropped. I have a plan. Part of this plan includes something that I said I would never do again....NEVER SAY NEVER....

At the end of this month, at the age of 28, a professional in the healthcare field, I will be moving back in with my parents. Yikes. I LOVE my family...I MISS my family, but do I want to LIVE with them again??? The question really is HOW LONG do I want to live with them again? Not that long! Fortunately, I don't think it will be much more than 3 or 4 months. And that's great, since it is coming upon the holidays, I know that I will be able to spend as much time with them as I can for this time of year, which has been something that I have missed the last couple of years. I live in Chicago, they live in rural Iowa...8 hours away. This is the furthest I have ever lived from my family, and I originally moved out here with my ex to be halfway between our respective families (his is in PA). Since we are not together anymore, there is really no reason to stay...so I was planning on moving back to the great state (??) of Iowa in the next 6-8 months anyway.

Maybe the silver lining of that cloud is a bit more substantial than I thought! :) All in all, I feel pretty good about things...but like I said...losing a job unexpectedly really turns a person's life upside down...making quick plans to move, buying out 6 months left on your lease, NOT BEING ABLE TO BUY YARN FOR, LIKE, EVER!! I made a "final" Knit Picks purchase just to pump up my stash, and for some specific projects to get me through the next few months...and Lord knows I have plenty of sock yarn to choke a large sheep! I should be set for a while...and packing up the yarn in a storage tote will help me to organize and hopefully find some yarn I had forgotten I had. Its all good!

So finally...I apologize for not posting for a while...I have been really thinking about what to say about this here/if to say anything at all...but if you can't share with your blog friends, then what has this world come to?? :) In conclusion...here are some pretty yarn pictures...

My beautiful Noro (will be the Irish Hiking Scarf when it grows up), and soft and silky SWTC Bamboo (which I think might be the Knotted Openwork Scarf):

Hot off the Needles!

MY FIRST PAIR OF SOCKS!!



I am so happy to finally be done with these socks. These socks were just about the bane of my existence. I started the first sock on dpn's, and had such a problem with laddering, that I put them aside, and thought I probably just didnt have the knack for sock knitting. Until a lady at my knitting group taught me to knit socks on 2 circular needles. So much nicer, for me at least. I know there are a lot of people who knit with dpn's with good luck, and yet others that utilize the Magic Loop method. As long as we keep making beautiful socks, the I say go with what works!! I will definitely be sticking with the 2 circular needles!

These socks were worked on US 2 needles, 64 stitches with Austermann Step superwash wool. I threw away the ball band, so I am not sure of the color way, sorry. I used the Basic Sock Pattern from "Knitting Rules" using seed stitch instead of stockinette. I am really excited to wear these socks, but not today or tomorrow, as it is still supposed to be in the 80s!! Where is fall?? You can also see these on the Sock a Month KAL.

I have decided to cast on my next sock with the Knit Picks Memories in Hawaii in the pattern of Monkey from knitty.com, but first, I need to get the second short row toe started for Dad's Socks. I will be knitting these socks 2 at a time on 2 circular needles, and with them being knit out of worsted weight on size 5 needles, they should be a fairly quick knit.

OK, I am off to take a nap, I think. It has been a pretty trying week for me in my personal life, and I am physically and mentally exhausted. Have a great weekend!

TMI??

I don't think that this will be too much information for ya...but just a warning, I've got a lot to talk about tonight! First, a couple of updates...

1. I mentioned in a previous post about going on a date with a boy...Well, let's just say that there was not a long lasting connection made, unfortunately. He was great, really nice, and we had a nice time, but the chemistry just wasn't there, so we will probably not be going out again. Ah, such is life, and I'm not too torn up about it! Many more fish in the sea!

2. The Bold and Bulky Cardigan and I have made amends, and she is out of timeout. I frogged her back to the new yarn join, and found one of my remaining skeins with a more consistent color that matched the upper portion of the cardigan. Now she looks good. I was a little worried about the size being a little snug on my, and almost frogged the whole thing to re-knit in the next size up. After some careful consideration, and studying the pattern and the width of the button bands, I think I will be ok. I have to knit the sleeves and the contrast color and button band, and she will be done. I think that is a later in the week or weekend goal.

3. This week I have to focus on finishing my first pair of socks! I am just past the gusset decreases on the second sock, and think that it will go pretty quickly. I want to finish so that I can make the September goal for the Sock a Month KAL 4.

4. I am ashamed. The Tiffany Mittens have come to a complete standstill, and probably changed from WIP to UFO in my knitting que. I make a pledge, and a promise, here in KnitterLand online that once the BB Mini Cardigan is done, Tiffany will be back in my life.

OK, so I think that is all for the "old business". On to "new business"...and lots of pics!!

I am making socks for Christmas for my mom and dad. Because I am part of the SAM KAL(see link above) I think this will help to motivate me to finish them on time! I started my Dad's socks this weekend. I am using Knit Picks Swish to knit some old fashioned looking wool hunting socks, you know the kind that are grey, with the red cuff, heel and toe. I am a little worried about running out of yarn (he's a men's size 12 for heaven's sake!) so I have decided to try to do a toe up sock to maximize the amount of yarn I have. This is my 2nd pair of socks, and first toe up. Here is my first short row toe!! Also notice the size difference between a women's size 9 (me) and the toe of a men's size 12!!

With my new found desire to knit socks, I found this tutorial online. I have wanted sock blockers to display my socks on, but have found that one set is pretty costly. Here is the solution! It's so great, and super easy. It took me just about 45 minutes to do these, with the most time being drawing my template.

(L-R)

1. I used flexible cutting boards from Target (about $6 for a set of 4).

2. My template. First, I simply traced around my foot as it was laying on it's side on the paper. Then, following a picture of socks on blockers, tried to emulate the shape of bought blockers. It was kind of a challenge, especially trying to keep the length of the foot correct.

3. Sadly, two blockers would not come out of one cutting board, but at $6 for a set of 4, if you wanted matching colors, it's still super affordable!

4. My finished pair of women's size 9 sock blockers!!

I think this tutorial is great, especially if you give socks as gifts. I think that giving socks on a blocker is much more attractive than not, in my humble opinion!! Thanks so much MaryAnn at Little Sesame Knits!

Here is my almost finished first pair of socks modeling the new blockers!! They look GREAT!

Now that my first socks are almost done, and I am on a sock knitting tear, I am looking forward to my next socks. October is dedicated to knitting Dad's socks for the KAL, and November is for Mom's socks (also size 9, so much easier for me to knit true to size!!), but I want to knit more socks for me too! (Selfish much?!) So here's my quandry...

I am a little torn as to what to knit next. Mind you, all of these will be knit sometime in the (hopefully near) future, but my instant gratification side is deterring my decision making skills!

Option 1: Sidewinders from NonaKnits in Knit Picks Dancing, they look like a lot of fun, and definitely something different!

Option 2: The ever popular Monkey socks in either Hawaii or SMores from Knit Picks Memories

Option 3: The Basic Sock Pattern from the Harlot's Knitting Rules in either Regia's Kaffe Fasset designer series, or Cascade Fixation Pink Lemonade.

I would love to cast on for each and evey pair listed, but unfortunately, cannot. Can you help me?? Thanks!

Whew, well, this was a lengthy post, lots of pics, and definitely borderline TMI. I have worked up an appetite, so I am off to make some homemade chicken salad, eat some dinner, and knit away on my sock! Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your comments!

Ravelry Update:

You signed up on September 11, 2007
You are #32304 on the list.
14550 people are ahead of you in line.
3905 people are behind you in line.
48% of the list has been invited so far

Waiting (Im)Patiently

So, I have heard tons and tons on the web about Ravelry and how great it was, so I decided to check it out. Holy crap!!! I want a piece of that, and I want it now! Too bad, though...there is a huge waiting list, which all of Internet land knows, but me. So I go to sign up, am then told, "you are on the waiting list." So I am waiting, for about a week, thinking that like some other KAL's and blogrings, this will happen fairly quickly, and I will be with the "in" crowd over at Ravelry in no time. No such luck...I just checked my status...

You signed up on September 11, 2007
You are #32304 on the list.
16601 people are ahead of you in line.
2350 people are behind you in line.

This does not bode well...for you already veterans of Ravelry...about how long did you have to wait to get your invite? Are the people ahead of me in line already members, or are they waiting too? Seeing as how the number of people ahead of me in line is about 8 times the number of people behind me in line, I am way at the end, and will probably be invited the day before (or after, knowing my luck) the whole thing goes live for public consumption! So I will continue to wait patiently...or impatiently...depending on the day and hope that I get the happy email telling me I have been invited...In the meantime...read this blog entry...she does a great job of telling us all what we're missing out on! (Thursday Sept 20 entry).

Not sure what to do...

So I am working on the Bold and Bulky Mini Cardigan from Fitted Knits. I am lengthening the bodice to make it less of a bolero, and more of a full length to slightly cropped cardigan. I am working to the end of the skein/ball of yarn, and then will begin on the sleeves. I haven't bought the yarn for the CC yet, so I will do all of that at the very end, when I am generally happy with the length of everything.

I am really happy with the yarn I chose, and how it is knitting up. Except for what I noticed tonight. All of the yarn has a slightly varigated look as it is hand dyed. I am ok with that until I got to the middle of this last skein. I am noticing a huge area of pooling in the last few inches. It is not super noticable on the pictures I am noticing, but in "real life" it is pretty significant.

The areas I am talking about are both sides of the cardigan, right in the middle (kind of above the needles) on the front...You can also see how varigated the ball of yarn is, too....

And again, at the bottom, middle, right above my fingers....
These are my remaining hanks of yarn...also pretty varigated...
I don't think that I mind, but on the other hand, I really like the blending of the top portion of the cardigan much better than the bottom portion. I am just afraid that the other skeins will do the same in the sleeves. I might frog to just a few rows after I added this skein, add another, and knit with 2 skeins changing every few rows to try and blend it out a little more...

Hrumpf....and I was just about ready to move onto the sleeves....well, I want to love this cardigan, so it will be worth it!

Edit Wednesday Sept 19, 12:25 pm...I didn't want to make a whole brand new post for this, so I thought I would just give an update...after sleeping on it, and looking at the pictures several more times...I think that the best decision for me at this time is to....GULP....FROG back to just after the new skein join, and alternate rows...it is sad to frog, and usually a little nerve wracking, but I know that I will be much happier with it this way. I am going to place a life line of sorts so I do not lose/drop any stitches. I do believe that this is going to have to wait until the weekend...so time out my lovely cardigan...I am not angry, just a little disappointed. We will meet again, and all will be resolved very soon.

T.G.I.F.....but is it over yet?

Oh, I do believe that I am doing the taboo thing today...blogging at work! I am insanely slow at my job today, and the fact that it is almost 5:30 on a Friday afternoon/evening, and I go to Knit Night right after work on Fridays, things are dragging along....S....L....O....W....L....Y.......

On the upside, I can usually puruse the knitting blogs, and site with no one looking over my shoulder. I am also looking quite forward to the weekend. I work in the medical field and my clinic is open until 7 pm every night, and in the mornings on Saturday. I have taken this Saturday morning off, first, in honor of my birthday, and second due to a function that will eventually put me on track for how I want to continue in my career. Sorry for the cryptic statement, it is just not the right time for me to go into detail on this...as there are some people out there who aren't aware of what's going on. Thirdly, I am meeting a boy tomorrow, I think.

A little history lesson on Jen: I met a boy at grad school...Jen and boy "fell in love"....boy moved half way across the country to be with Jen....boy and Jen moved to Chicago together to build new life....Jen "fell out of love" with boy for many different reasons....Jen moved out to new apartment, and started living single again....Jen gets lonely, but not for boy.....Jen has been online dating (a little scary)....new boy asked if Jen would like to get together this weekend....Jen said yes....and hasn't heard from boy yet...but that's ok. So, history in a nut shell....I have been having not such good luck with the online thing...but I have been emailing with people, and that is definitely low stress...until they want to meet! Then, the stress level goes up a notch....I have the firm belief that it has to do with the apparel we wear when emailing (usually pajamas) vs. what we wear to go out (NOT pajamas!)...the emailing clothes lend to a more comfortable feeling in general, so I think that it expresses itself in the email. Then comes all the stress of getting dressed in "meeting" clothes, you have to look your best, hair, makeup, the whole kit 'n' caboodle! I definitely try to make things less stressful for myself anyway. I go into the meetings, I don't like to call them dates, with the feeling that if things progress from there, great, and if not, well, then I got to spend my night in the company of someone new, and might possibly make at least a friend out of it. So we will see...

Monday is my birthday....so I will be taking it easy this weekend in anticipation of my birthday...not that there is anything too exciting going on. I live about 8 hours from my family, so I celebrated early when my sister was here to visit. I requested a DQ ice cream cake for the office lunch on Monday, so that will be fun...not to mention yummy!

I started this post at about 5:25pm, and am finishing at about 6:10 pm...had to stop in between to take care of patients...so have a great weekend all...T-minus 20-30 minutes until quittin' time...then off to Knit Nite!

We're Making Progress

So I have pretty much recovered from my nasty chest cold. I still have a bit of a cough, but it's nothing compared to where I was one week ago! Much news on the knitting front therefore! I have made some progress on the Tiffany Mittens.

I was getting a little concerned when I tried them on last night, and they were pretty tight! I know that fair isle knitting can be a little less stretchy than regular one color knitting. This is my first fair isle knitting project, so it is definitely a learning process. I have gotten some really great advice about spreading the stitches out when bringing the floating yarn along the back, and how the mittens will fit differently once the afterthought thumb is placed and knitted. I have been trying it on my left hand, but will try it on my right, and which ever one is looser will be the mitten that I knit!

I have also started a new project, which I probably shouldn't have since I still have much Christmas knitting to accomplish. This pattern though is knit with big yarn on big needles, and has been going pretty quickly. I am doing the Bold and Bulky Mini Cardigan from Fitted Knits, by Stephanie Japel. When I first browsed this book at the bookstore, I was a little unimpressed, until I looked at the KAL page and saw all the great interpretations of the patterns. I immediately fell in love with the book! I have borrowed it from the library, looked at it about 52 times, and have picked half a dozen patterns that I want to knit! What a pleasant surprise this was! I will be purchasing this book very, very soon! Here is my progress:

I had a difficult time with the yarn, though. The pattern calls for Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick. Now, I am not a huge fan of this yarn, and wanted something that would be lovely to knit with and would be something that I would cherish for years to come. I am making some modifications to the original pattern, like lengthening the body so it is less like a bolero, and because I have a fairly long torso. I am also planning on making the sleeves a little longer, and depending on how much yarn I have, full length. I went to my LYS and spent about an hour and a half with the proprieter, Deb, who helped me pick out a wonderful, beautiful, makes me want to crawl inside and sleep yarn. It is Araucania Yarns, Limari Semi Solids. It is a merino, alpaca, silk blend and is like butter! I walked around the store for about 30 minutes petting the yarn without even realizing it! It is wonderful. It is a little pricey, and when I realized just how much I was spending, I almost went for the Wool-Ease! However, knowing the quality of this yarn, I will definitely cherish this piece of knitting for years! Definitely worth it!! I am super excited for the fall air to come and stay so that I can wear this piece at least weekly! Sorry to my co-workers in advance to see one outfit all fall and winter!! HAHA!

I have also been doing some lurking on other really great knitting blogs. I have joined a couple of online KALs, and love looking at other people's work just about as much as I love knitting my own!

Qutecowgirl, Jill, Crafty Pancakes, The Half-Assed Knit Blog, of course the Harlot, and there are so many more that I can't remember, or find...I really need to start bookmarking them immediately when I come across them!! I will start a running list of blogs I come across so that you too can enjoy the world of the fellow knitter! I have also put my name on the list for Ravelry!! Geez...this could become a real problem. I think I waste time at work now browsing and lurking knitting blogs and sites, but a whole huge community with links and links and links dealing with knitting could be trouble!! Oh well...my co-worker is obsessed with running, so to each their own! On a side note about the Yarn Harlot...she posted yesterday and today about a garter stitch jacket that she loves, and going to the link, I think I agree...they are all enablers, the whole lot of them!!

Well, my link happy post is done for now, I think! Also, if you look to the side...I have finally learned to do the whole button thing!! Go me!! Knitter I am....Computer genius I am not!

I feel Yucky...

Oh what a week it has been. Labor Day weekend was a nice and much welcomed day off to catch up on many things, including knitting. I finished a major project, to which I am thrilled. I also cast on for the Tiffany Mittens and made some pretty good progress on Monday.

I am really happy with this progress, and love the fact that I am actually doing a Fair Isle project, which I have been super scared of since I started knitting. But the problem herein lies...I have not made any more progress through this entire week!

I started to feel a little scratchy in my throat Sunday night, and it was a little more pronounced on Monday. I was thinking that I was having a bit of an allergy attack, and thought that a little rest, and avoidance of the outdoors would help. Not so much! Tuesday things just progressively got worse, and by Tuesday night, I was resigned to the fact that it wasn't my allergies, but a nasty chest cold rearing its ugly head. Wednesday I went home from work sick, and couldn't even bring myself to knit a simple no patterned sock. I have not picked up my knitting since Monday, and I miss it!! I am starting to feel better, but still have a lingering cough that has made my abdomen feel like I just went through sit up boot camp! I am hoping to make some progress on things this weekend as I hole up...yet again...and get myself well again!

I am also feeling the desparate need to get going on my Christmas knitting. I have one project just over halfway done, and the finishing will be the most complicated with some lining and embroidery work. I also need to knit 2 pairs of socks, to which I have joined the Sock A Month KAL 4 in the hopes that it will motivate me to knit, knit, knit!! Then my sister's boyfriend has thrown a whole cog in the wheel by possibly being at the family Christmas this year. So I think that I am going to be knitting him a scarf. Probably a simple chunky ribbed scarf with a black tweed yarn of some sort. My LYS has a nice Noro tweed, but maybe something out of a Knit Picks bulky yarn. I haven't really decided yet.

So, I have decided, no more sick days allowed! Or sick weeks for that matter! At least until Christmas is over and I can focus on nice casual knitting projects!